Cedar City rang in the holiday season with its annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony and the opening night of the Holiday Tree Jubilee fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 29. The event brought on residents and visitors together for a full day of shopping, entertainment and celebration along Main Street.
Festivities began at noon with the opening of the Christmas market. Attendees wandered through the aisles featuring a variety of booths, including a Christmas letter-writing station, a mistletoe booth offering kisses for $1 and vendors selling handmade goods such as butter mints, jewelries and sourdough bread. The market offered the opportunity to find high-quality holiday gifts while supporting local businesses.
“I thought the Christmas market was amazing. It’s always a good time,” said El Jeffe, owner of MegaLoaf Sourdough. “There’s a lot of people — you only can call out to so many. It’s good, though, because you always make a ton of sales. At the farmers market in Cedar City, we’re here almost every weekend.”
In addition to shopping, attendees also participated in carriage rides around the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts, face painting, bounce houses and the multiple photo booths set up along Main Street.
Cedar City natives Boston Bullock and Reese Urie said they have attended the celebration since they were young and shared their appreciation for the tradition.
“I think everything is really cute and very well put together with all the booths and all the lights,” said Bullock. “It’s a small town tradition and it’s really fun, even though it’s cold.”
“It’s a fun way to kick off the holiday season and to get people to come out,” added Urie. “You never know, you might see a friend or see something you want to buy, so might as well come.”
At 6 p.m., Santa Claus made his grand entrance by helicopter to the gasps of amazement and applause of the crowd. His presence brought the magic needed to make Cedar City shine as Main Street came alive with the glow of Christmas lights and fireworks.
To capture the moment, Santa later appeared at Festival Hall for photos and many children eagerly pulled their parents toward the hall. Along with it, participants could attend the live nativity at The Old Rock Church right after.
The event concluded at 9 p.m., with attendees leaving downtown carrying shopping bags and holiday memories. For more information on upcoming festivities, visit the Cedar City Events’ website.
Author:Fanny Felixine
Editor: Brooklyn Beard
Photos by Fanny Felixine
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